Powerball ticket sales push jackpot to $425 million

The Powerball lottery jackpot has grown to about $425 million for Wednesday… (CONTRIBUTED, THE MORNING…)

August 07, 2013|By Tracy Jordan, Of The Morning Call

Less than three months after the largest Powerball jackpot history was won by an 84-year-old Florida woman, the jackpot is again approaching a record high.

As of Wednesday morning, the jackpot has grown to an estimated annuity value of $425 million — a $25 million increase in the last few days due to fast-paced ticket sales. The cash value of Wednesday's jackpot is about $244.7 million.

The largest Powerball jackpot in the history of the game won May 18 carried an annuity prize of $590.5 million, but the winner took the cash payout of about $370.8 million.

In Pennsylvania, 25 percent of the prize is withheld for federal and state income taxes.

The Florida woman purchased her ticket at a Publix grocery store using "quick pick" numbers selected by the lottery computer.

Lottery advice on how to win from most Internet websites recommends against quick pick numbers. To avoid sharing the jackpot, most also suggest picking higher numbers since most people play important dates, such as birthdays or an anniversary.

They also suggest picking the numbers drawn most frequently, which are available on the Powerball's website.

The Powerball frequency chart shows that since Jan. 18, 2012, the Powerball numbers most frequently drawn were 29 (10 times), 33 (9 times) and 6 and 16 (8 times). The two most drawn white balls during that period were 8 and 23.

Another popular recommendation is to use the same set of numbers multiple times, but with a different Powerball number.

No matter how you pick them, the odds of winning are the same – 1 in 175 million.

Powerball tickets cost $2 each and players select five numbers drawn from 59 white balls and 1 number drawn from a set of 35 red balls. Tickets with only the Powerball number correct are worth $4. Players can purchase the Power Play for another $1 for a chance to increase the value of the non-jackpot prizes. Odds of winning a prize is 1 in 32.

Powerball drawings are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays and tickets are sold in 43 states and in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands.